29 MAY 1909

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An occasional correspondent of the Times, writing from Deir-oz-Zor, sends

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a curiously interesting account of " The Desert under the Constitution." The moral of his letter is that on the fringe of the Turkish Empire the tribes still maintain their...

The papers of Monday published the result of the Hague

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Arbitration on the Casablanca episode of last September, in which the flight of some deserters from the French Foreign Legion was aided by the staff of the German Consulate. The...

The Chief Burgomaster and other members of the Berlin Municipal

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Council have paid a visit to London during the week. On Tuesday, when the visitors were at the City of London School for Boys, the Chief Burgomaster declared that the only...

The French Government Bill determining the conditions under which French

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Civil servants are to be allowed the rights of combination, and providing regulations to put an end to favouritism, was laid on the table of the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday....

NEWS OF THE WEEK

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W E regret to say that there is a serious danger of the scheme for the union of South Africa being rejected by the Referendum in Natal. We trust that the people of Natal will...

41 * * The Tfditore cannot undertake to return Vanmscripi, tin any

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ease.

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In the House of Commons on Tuesday Mr. William Redmond's

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amendment to the Tobacco Excise Duty Resolution proposing to exempt Irish-grown tobacco from the proposed increase of the duty was supported by all the Tariff Reformers—Mr....

The Times of last Saturday published a letter in which

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Lord George Hamilton criticised the Government estimate as to the yield of the new taxation. According to this estimate, the yield for 1909-10 will be £14,200,000, and the...

Lord Charles Beresford at the annual Australasian banquet on Friday

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week made an interesting speech on the subject of Imperial defence. In his opinion, our great Dominions could beat help us, not by spending two millions on battleships to serve...

A full consideration of the matter has brought us to

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the conclusion that this would be in reality much the safest and most satisfactory formula. Under it we should know exactly where we stood without having to raise any...

This was quite too much for Mr. Healy, who replied

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with an explosion of sardonic irony. Irish Members, he said, did not come there to be lectured by English Members ; they came to teach them the only subjects they...

In the House of Commons on Wednesday a confused and

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irritating debate took place on the question of the two-Power standard,—a debate which arose on Captain Craig's Motion that " this House would view with alarm any modification...

Sir George Armstrong, addressing a meeting of the Navy League

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at Kensington Town Hall on Wednesday, made some further disclosures as to the Bacon lettere. After mentioning the really astonishing fact that the first and second letters, and...

Of Mr. Balfour's speech we can only say that the

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greater part of it showed a strong sense of what Lord John Russell once called the House of Commons' conscience. At the same time, we endorse his conclusion that it is of real...

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It is stated in several of Thursday's newspapers that Sir

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John Fisher will retire next October. We cannot, of course, say whether this rumour is true, but if it is we are convinced that it will be for the good of the Service and in the...

There is nothing, of course, in this letter which throws

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any discredit upon Admiral Mann, for ho had a perfect right to express his opinion. The importance of the incident is the evidence it affords of the way in which so secret and...

Sir George Armstrong then went on to read a letter

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from Mr. Bellaire which describes how in 1906, just before the assembly of the new Parliament, he met Sir John Fisher, who " entrusted him with confidential papers dealing with...

On Thursday Sir Edward Grey made a general statement, on

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the international situation. If there had been an undue amount of nervousness in the last few months, it had been caused by too much discussion in the European Press. There was...

One of the events of the week has been the

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winning of the Derby by the King's horse Minoru.' The race was won after a very close and exciting struggle. His Majesty's success was exceedingly popular, and was received with...

Bank Rate, 2} per cent., changed from 3 per cent.

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April lat. Consols (2i) were ou Friday 84—Friday week 84.

On the Motion for the Whitsuntide adjournment Mr, Charles Craig

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called attention to Admiral Mann's letter, which, he maintained, was a, letter written by one gentleman to another, and ought never to have appeared in public at all. Mr....

Mr. Bellaire goes on to mention an incident which we

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have always regarded as the very worst in the whole of this un- fortunate controversy. In August, 1907, the Admiralty armed an assailant of Mr. Bellaire in the House of Commons...

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TOPICS OF THE DAY.

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HUMANITARIANISM AND SEA. POWER. W E have always held that those who profess and call themselves humanitarians and philanthropists, and who believe that a nation has duties,...

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CRETE AND THE YOUNG TURKS.

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O N July 27th the troops of Britain, France, Russia, and Italy will be withdrawn from Crete. These troops symbolise the guarantees given by the four Powers that Crete should be...

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THE PRIME MINISTER AND THE BUDGET.

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AI R. ASQUITH did well at Sheffield to direct the major portion of his speech to the consideration of the Budget. It is the one question which now occupies the attention of the...

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THE GRAMMAR OF FREE-TRADE.

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M Tariff R. BALFOUR'S speech to the Women's Tari Reform League was an extraordinary performance. It may not on reflection prove altogether satisfactory to the Tariff Reformers...

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SERMONS ANCIENT AND MODERN.

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"T HE World's Great Sermons"! We have received ten neat little volumes bearing this title, ten thousand sets of which are being given away to subscribers for one year to the...

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A NEW WAY WITH THE ROAD.

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T IM dust problem has suddenly altered. It has always been a road problem, and a road problem it still remains; but its future is different. For the last seven years or so,...

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CARAVANNING.

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W E left Lulworth at 9.15 on Friday morning, April 16th. The caravan, in charge of Stanley Ford, arrived the night before, travelling by road, and the two horses, 'Blackbird'...

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CORRESPONDENCE.

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HOW THE NEW SULTAN WAS GIRT WITH • THE SWORD. [To vu. EDITOR Or TUB SP SOT/MGR:1 Sra,—Three days ago a friend of mine and I were present just outside the Mosque where the...

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

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NONCONFORMISTS AND THE COMMUNION. (TO TR. EDITOR OF TRII "SPROTATOR.") SIR,—I sincerely trust that your admirable article on this subject in last week's issue will help to...

[To THR EDITOR Or TIlS " SPROTATOR.1

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SIR, —In spite of the fact that you have previously rejected my contention with editorial severity, will you permit me to repeat it ? You say : " The only reference is in the...

[To TRS EDITOR OF TRIO "SPSCTATOR.1

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Sin,—You have shown in last week's Spectator that the lady who was repulsed from the Holy Communion in her parish church on the ground of her nonconformity was improperly...

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[TO TRR EDITOR or TITR "SPROTA.TOR."] Sin,--I have read carefully

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and with deep interest " E. M. L's " letter and the article on "Nonconformists end the Communion." in the last issue of the Spectator. wish with all my heart that it were...

[To TER EDITOR Or TIM " StROT AT011.."] Sin,—In reading

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your article in the last Spectator o4 "Nonconformists and the Communion" my admiration of your idealistic conception of the National Church, and my astonishment at your...

[To ens Earros or Ttrs " §PronTOT1.1

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SX1tr•-The Spectator has a great position, but that (if you will allow me to say so) does not exempt you from the duty of acquiring some elementary knowledge of a subject before...

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THE SECOND REVOLUTION IN TURKEY. [TO TRR EDITOR Or THE

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"SDROTATOR." 81E� In your article on" The Second Revolution in Turkey" in the Spectator of April 17t11 the following passages Occur : — " True, or at any rate primitive,...

[To TRH EDITOR Or rap ersocAreityl Sm—The letter of "

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E. M. L." and your article " Non- conformists and the Communion " in last Saturday's Spectator recall a personal experience which has for some years given me much mental pain. I...

[To TM< EDITOR Or TN! "SPRCTATOR."

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too, read with some surprise the statement in the Spectator of May 1st that the terms of communion in the Church of England are easier than those of any other religious bodies....

[To THR EDITOR or TIM " arecnrvoe."1 SiTt, 7 -The right or

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duty of h priest to exclude from Com- munion is a purely temporary and provisional right. He is hound to notify his action to the Bishop within a fortnight. Presumably this was...

ftre rue Immo or mai "i?ser4roa.•]

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8 nt,--.-Whether the particular idea of a National Church Which is maintained by the Spectator is or is not a desirable idea is no doubt a matter of opinion. But that the idea...

THE BISHOP OP ST. ASAPH ON WELSH DISESTABLISHMENT STATISTICS.

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[To 'fp, EDITOR or H p. I'SDHOTI4911.".1 Sim —Your correspondent Mr. Morgan states in last week's ipsue that in the statistics of the Calvinistic Methodists " the ' hearers'...

WELSH DISESTABLISHMENT.

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[To TRH EDITOR or THU "Srmortros."] SIR, — Map I be allowed to point out that Mr. John Morgan, of Aberystwyth, in his letter in your columns last week replying to the Bishop of...

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AMERICA AND THE COMMAND OF THE SEA. [To TUN EDITOR

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OF TEN " SPNCTATOR."1 Snt,—Perhaps you will allow an Englishman who has lived in America for more than forty years, and who has taken some part in public affairs in that...

"THE GOVERNMENT STROKE." ITO TIN EDITOR or TUN " ROUT

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OR."1 Sin,—In the article headed " The Government Stroke," published last Saturday, it is written :— " As good an illustration as any is furnished by the telegraph system. When...

[To TICS EDITOR or TEE "tirsorimon.1 Sin,—In your article on

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George Meredith in last week's Spectator you referred to the writer's famous sonnet, "The World's Advance," in which the following words occur :— ". Spiral,' the memorable Lady...

WHAT WILL THE LORDS DO P [To TEE EDITOR OF

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TIN " Seirwroz."J SIE,—What will the Lords do ? is once more the cry, as it was when the first Reform Bill was going up to the House of Lords. It is the cry here, too, though in...

Bon Hill, Dorking, Juno 5th, 1879.

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DEAR Darons,—Be assured that I have no other feeling than thankfulness to one who can take notice of my work without seizing me by the collar to shake me and then pitch me upon...

MR. GEORGE MEREDITH.

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[To vu EDITOR or TH N " SPECTATOR." I SID,—Thirty years ago, on walking one morning with Mr. Meredith from the Garrick Club to Covent Garden, I ventured to suggest that his...

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MR. WINSTON CHURCHILL AND ELECTORAL

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REFORM. ITo THE EDITOR OP TRH " SPROTATOR.1 Sin,—The very significant reply given by Mr. Winston Churchill on Saturday last to the deputation which waited upon him at...

INCOME-TAX FROM CAPITAL.

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[To THE EDITOR 01I mite "sesararon. - ] Sin,—I joined eleven men, chiefly workmen, in buying nine acres, which we sold in building lots, reserving minerals. Thirty-three years...

THE MAGPIE IN LONDON.

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J'To THE EDITOR Or THE " BPECTATOR,"] SIR,—The letters of your correspondents Messrs. Garnett and Stanford in your issue of May nth reveal the interesting fact that two, if not...

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"THE LESSER AFFECTIONS."

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[To THR EDITOR OF THZ SPZOTATOR."] Sra,—In your article (Spectator, May 15th) under the above title on the Countess Martinengo Cesaresco's new book, "The Place of Animals in...

THE LATE ME. THOMAS COUTTS.

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(TO TOR EDITOR Or TIIIE " HPICOTAT011n SIR, — Will you allow me to invite any one who may possess letters or papers connected with my groat-grandfather, Thomas Coutts, to be...

POETRY.

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GEORGE MEREDITH. (Died May 18th, 1909.) ROSSII3TTI sleeps beside:the restless wave, And Swinburne by the surges of the sea; Should not God's acre in green Surrey be For the...

BOOKS.

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THE AWAKENING OF TURKEY.* Ma. KNIGHT'S book (apparently named after the Turkish patriotic play) contains, we believe, the most detailed account of the Turkish Revolution which...

NOTICE.—When Articles or "Correspondence" are signed with the writer's name

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or initials, or with a pseudonym, or are marked "Vommunicated," . the Editor must not necessarily be held to be in agreement with the views therein nopressed or with the mode of...

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THE STORY OF ROBERT CARR AND LADY ESSEX.*

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Is is curious that one of the strangest tragedies in our history should never before have had a book to itself. Mr. Gibbs claims that his work is the first which gives the full...

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NATURE STUDY.*

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IF all the books which seek to make biology popular find readers, it will soon be rare to meet among the rising genera. tion one who is not something of a naturalist. A strange...

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AN EMPEROR'S BROTHER.*

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t COMMUNICATED. J AMONG the most interesting figures at the Court of Napoleon III. , the secret brother of the Emperor—the Duo de Morny—was sure to attract an historian's fancy,...

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AN EXIlfPLAR Or MITY•t THE Life of Sir John Ardagh

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is at least as well worth reading as any of the military autobiographies that have in recent • This account IP borrowed from the unpublished jourpal of the Duks's The manuscript...

GEORGE GRENFELL.* THIS volume supplements the biography of George Grenfell

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written by Sir Harry Johnston. That had for its primary subject the man of science and the explorer. It grew out of an original purpose to deal with these Rept:refs of Mr....

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The 'Half Moon.' By Ford Madox Hueffer. (Eveleigh Nash. 68.) — Mr.

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Hueffer has contrived to transfer some of the charm which lives in the steep old streets of the town of Rye to the pages of his novel. The opening of the story is delightful,...

PROFESSOR RAMSAY'S " TACITUS."* AFTER an interval of five years,

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Professor Ramsay has given us the second and concluding volume of his translation of the Annals of Tacitus. In an introduction of seventy pages he discusses the subject of the...

NOVELS.

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AS IT HAPPENED.f THE fine workmanship and intimate familiarity with out-of- the-way historical bypaths shown in Mr. Ashton Hilliers's Memoir of a Person of Quality raised high...

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Writing the Short-Story. By J. Berg Esen wain, Lit.D. (Hinds.

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Noble, and Eldridge, Now York. Gs.)—Mr. Esonwein is editor of Lippincott's Mont hill Magazine, and when he tells us about the "rise, structure, writing, and sale of the modern...

Rzananan Novara—Rose of the Wilderness. By S. R. Crockett. (Hodder

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and Stoughton. fis.)—A Galloway story, and as good as Mr. Crockett always makes his stories when his foot is on his native heath.—Priscilla of the Good Intent.' By lIalliwell...

Steinburne : a Lecture. By J. W. Mackail. (The Clarendon

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Press, ls. net.)—Swinburne, Matthew Arnold, and William Morris have helped to make the list of Oxford poets some- what more worthy of the University, and Professor Mackail has...

Literary By - Paths in Old England. By Henry C. Shelley. (Grant

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Richards 103. fid. net.)—The men of letters of whom Mr. Shelley writes—he comes, we gather, from America—are Spenser, Sir Philip Sidney, William Penn, Thomas Gray, Gilbert...

SOME BOOKS OF THE WEEK.

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ttrndor ate healing too motto. ottoh Books of IN week es have not been reserved fur misty in other forms.) A New Way of Life. By J. St. Lee Strachey. (Macmillan and Co. ls....

In the Grip of the Trusts. 13y J. C. Haig.

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(Methuen and Co. ls. net.)—In this "Story of 1914" we get a vivid picture of affairs in England as they will be after some years of a Tariff Reform Government. There is a...

Johnny Gibb of Gushetneult in the Parish of Pyketiilins. By

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William Alexander, LL.D. (David Douglas, Edinburgh. 2s. not.) —This is a story of local Scottish life about the time of the Disruption. Mr. A. Mackie, who prefaces it with an...

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The Cambridge Colleges. By R. Brimley Johnson. (T. Werner Laurie.

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2s. (fd. net.)—This is a little book which can be most conveniently carried in the pocket, measuring five inches by three, and weighing a few ounces. And it contains a great...

Sit' Redvers Buller. By Lewis Butler. (Smith, Elder, and Co.

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Be. (id. net.)—This volume is reprinted, with additions, from the ,King's Royal Rifle Corps Chronide, and is the work of an ex-officer of the regiment. It is a loyal and...

The English Vegetable Garden. Written by Exports. (Country Life 081e0.

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8s. (3d. net.)—.This is likely, as one might suppose from the title, to be a most useful volume. It tells us how to grow familiar things to the best advantage, and it tells also...